Be a Part of the Discussion in, "Thomas Paine: Common Sense for the Modern Era" edited by Ronald F. King and Elsie Begler

            We all know what it is, and we all think we use it flawlessly, but, do we really? Defined as, “sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation,” ‘common sense’ is not only a term used universally, but it is also the title of Thomas Paine’s revolutionary pamphlet. This founding father was respected internationally and his philosophies are still highly respected. Paine’s political advances pushed for America’s independence from Britain. Through his powerful prose he was able to sway the minds of a growing nation. San Diego State University held a conference in 2005 that explored the contributions of Paine’s, ‘Common Sense.’ The lively discussion was far from the traditional history lecture as the educated speakers made new connections between Paine’s eighteenth-century ideas and modern day issues. These discussions found in, “Thomas Paine: Common Sense for the Modern Era” edited by, Ronald F. King and Elsie Begler, give life to Paine’s theories in a whole new way. With these thought-provoking discussions we can get one step closer to having some of that much-needed ‘common sense.’

SDSU’s conference is not the only time in which Paine’s philosophies have been used to analyze modern day politics. Check out this video of Bob Basso as he takes on Paine’s image and ideas in order to bring some of Paine's teachings back to the nation.

 

Purchase "Thomas Paine: Common Sense for the Modern Era" from the SDSU PRESS today!

SDSU Press: The Ancient Secrets of the Tipai, Tipai Ethnographic Notes by WIlliam D. Hohenthal Jr.

Tipai Hunters

Delve into the mysterious and nearly-forgotten world of the Tipai Native Americans with William D. Hohenthal Jr's Tipai Enthographic Notes. The Native peoples of Baja California are a crucial part of American history often overlooked by scholars; this breathtaking paperback sheds new light on a topic previously considered insignificant.

Complete with brilliant illustrations of camps and settlements, this edition is no doubt the perfect addition to any Native Americanist, Anthropologist, Historian, or Summer Reader's collection. While more recent publications on the Tipai may have been released in the past 14 years, none command the same authority, nor compile the same breadth of knowledge, as Hohenthal's original piece.

Told in a comprehensive, authoritative diction, Hohenthal's recounting of the Tipai Natives' story in the mid 19th century opens the eyes to the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of this people.

Typeset in commanding Times New Roman, and in a stunning crimson cover, it does not fail to catch the eye. Truly for anyone with even a passive interest in Native Americans, Tipai Ethnographic Notes is a must-have. Don't hesitate, purchase your copy today!
http://www.amazon.com/Tipai-Ethnographic-Notes-Mid-Century-Anthropological/dp/0879191457/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341264297&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Tipai+Enthographic+Notes

Explore the secrets of the Mayans in Everett Jackson's Four Trips to Antiquity (SDSU Press)

FOUR TRIPS TO ANTIQUITY

Dive into this fantastic narrative about an artist who loses himself to the antiquity and depth of ancient art! Told in humorous and incisive fashion, the tales of his trips to antiquity challenge the reader to consider the subject of sculpture not as "art" but as a doorway to the heart. The novel includes copious illustrations done by the Everett Jackson himself at the sites visited on his travels.

Available now through SDSU Press.

Have a taste of the mysterious sculptures found within:

It is important to note that the end of 2012 (and, subsequently, the world) rapidly approaches! Perhaps you might discover something in the sculptures that could save us all!

More shots from this gorgeous book:

back cover ~ click to enlarge

front flap ~ click to enlarge

back flap ~ click to enlarge

center spread ~ click to enlarge

Uncover the Mystery with the Dead Sea Scrolls by Risa Levitt Kohn

Movies, books, fairytales, and legends based on grand discoveries have always been of great intrigue to people of all ages and cultures. There is a human craving for knowledge of the past, of the lives that existed thousands of years before us. San Diego State University along with the San Diego Natural History Museum brought to print the groundbreaking findings with Religious Studies Professor Risa Levitt Kohn's Dead Sea Scrolls--published in collaboration with SDSU Press.

This gorgeous trade paperback not only features vivid images of scrolls created over 2,000 years ago, but it also provides information surrounding their discovery and translation. Findings such as these are valuable for people of varying fields of study including history, anthropology, literature, philosophy, linguistics, and religious studies. In their prefatory piece, Joan and Irwin Jacobs note that these scrolls have been considered to be "among the greatest archeological treasures ever found"(10). Through these scrolls we are able to peek into the writings, language, and beliefs from the past. With the Dead Sea Scrolls, we are finally able be a tangible part of the stories of exploration, mystery and discovery! 

Follow this link for an extensive interview with the author, Risa Levitt Kohn.

Click here to purchase Dead Sea Scrolls from SDSU Press.

Here's a recent streaming video on the historical significance of the scrolls:

Tijuana: 1964 | A New Special Printing, Perfect for the High School or University Classroom

SDSU PRESS is not a hipster following

the latest rage (though we do fancy our

new sideburns); we've always adored Tijuana!

Check out our new special 2nd printing of TIJUANA 1964...

Tijuana 1964: Una vision fotografica e historica

fotografias Harry W. Crosby ; ensayo Paul Ganster, David Pinera Ramirez Antonio Padilla; edited by Paul Ganster

On sale now at our amazon.com 

online storefront!

front cover

back cover

Tijuana is ON FIRE!  Check out Anthony Bourdain's latest NO RESERVATIONS episode on TJ....

Special Edition - Limited Release of Border Lives! Personal Essay on the U.S.-Mexico Border (Harry Polkinhorn, et al., eds.)

We here at the SDSU Press are excited to announce the limited edition release of BORDER LIVES: Personal Essay on the U.S.-Mexico Border. With only 200 numbered copies available, this 2nd edition comes with an excitingly redesigned cover, is filled with illustrations, and dives into creative non-fiction personal essays from esteemed writers such as James Bradley, David Clayton, José Manuel Di Bella, Carlos Fabián Saravia, D. Emily Hicks, Ramona Mejía, William A. Nericcio, Harry Polkinhorn, Leobardo Saravia Quiroz, Gabriel Trujillo Muñoz. The seventh in the Binational Press border series, Border Lives explores the living, changing genre of the personal essay as it is being practiced along the U.S.-Mexico Border and comes with both Spanish and English translations of each essay back to back!

Edited by Harry Polkinhorn, Rogelio Reyes, & Gabriel Trujullo Muñoz, BORDER LIVES: Personal Essay on the U.S.-Mexico Border is available now for a limited tim through the SDSU Press!

Click here to purchase Border Lives from SDSU Press

Preview a few of the book's ample abstract illustrations:

From an essay by D. Emily Hicks

Also from a D. Emily Hicks essay

From an essay by William A. Nericcio

To Anthropologists And Explorers of Culture (that means you, Indiana Jones)--The World of the Tipai available through our Tipai Ethnographic Notes

front cover

click image to enlarge
click here to purchase paperback
click here to purchase hardback

Jerry Moore, Professor of Anthropology at California State University, Dominguez Hills calls   Ethnographic Notes: A Baja California Indian Community at Mid-Century a "salvaged treasure."

American Indian Studies Professor at San Diego State, Richard L. Carrico, praises the book for bringing "new life" to the work of anthropologist William D. Hohenthal.

And Ken Hedges, Curator at the San Diego Museum of Man describes the work as "a vivid account of a living culture making its way in the 20th century while holding onto ancient traditions," adding, "Tipai Ethnographic Notes deserves an honored place on the bookshelf of every California and Baja California anthropologist."

The endorsements are strong, but buy this important historical account and make your own decision.

The book contains incredible ethnographic details about family life, society, religion, government, healing, ethnomedicine and much, much more. Because cultures are constantly evolving, this work provides a snapshot of a way of life that no longer exists.

It's perfect for anyone interested in other cultures, indigenous groups, anthropology, changing societies, religion or the fieldwork of the 1940s--not far off from the time of Indiana Jones, might I add.

Each copy includes a separate, large and detailed map of Baja California during the 1940s, copied from Hohenthal's hand sketches of the area. You'll be hard pressed to find the like anywhere else.

So, buy a copy today (in hardcover or paperback) and let your own anthropological adventure begin.

back cover

click image to enlarge
click here to purchase paperback
click here to purchase hardback

The Unveiling of Humor Within Kafka's Tragic Mask: The Comic Trial of Joseph K.: Text and Context by Héctor Ortega and Edited by Manuel Flores (SDSU Press)

Picture this: a script, a series of analyses, a photographic and stylistic smorgasbord of theatrical visions, a graphic and illuminating glimpse into the tortured, jester-like mind of one of the greatest writers of our time: Franz Kafka. This is exactly what one should expect to find within Héctor Ortega's The Comic Trial of Joseph K.: Text and Context, which soars through literary circles as a triumph of adaptation and critical reflection combined in one text. Readers are, at first, presented with   Héctor Ortega's  "mexicanidad" vision of The Trial, which finds its roots in the humanity and soft-spoken comedy of its tragic characters as they transcend the pages of the beloved author's work. Then, following the play's original script, one is treated to several in-depth analyses of the (often neglected) comic visions within Kafka's works by such esteemed artists and critics as Héctor Ortega, Augusto Monterroso, Hugo Hiriart, Manuel Flores, and D. Emily Hicks. And, to top it all off, throughout the text are smatterings of original artwork by José Luis Cuevas as well as photographs of  Héctor Ortega's original stage production. Edited by Manuel Flores, The Comic Trial of Joseph K.: Text and Context is available now through SDSU Press!

Iterative Discourse is the Key to a Great Narrative: Danièle Chatelain's Perceiving and Telling: A Study of Iterative Discourse (SDSU Press)

ver wonder what the trick is to writing a captivating narrative? The answer is repetition. Well actually, the answer is a bit more interesting than that. Danièle Chatelain's book, Perceiving and Telling: A Study of Iterative Discourse explores the dynamic of space and time within the art of iterative discourse. Chatelain develops the concept of repetition helping it grow from a boring and flat concept to one that houses the fluidity of perception. Chatelain says, "Perceiving, therefore, should be considered as a central element in the functioning of any narrative" (94). The tricky concepts that go into an excellent narrative are thoroughly dissected as she also studies the division between heterodiegetic and homodiegetic narratives. Writing a narrative can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task, but with Chatelain's insight on the matter (and of course with her glossary on hand) the job will be less daunting and instead become an exciting challenge.

Perceiving and Telling: A Study of Iterative Discourse is on sale via the SDSU Press.

SDSU Press Knows Darwin: Check out our new critical anthology edited by Mark Wheeler...

click the image for the link...

New 2012 pacificREVIEW Shackled Issue is at the Printer! Order it here soon!

more info soon:

http://pacrev.blogspot.com
http://pacficreview.sdsu.edu
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PacificReview/172345312860673

A Selection of Pages, Plates and Poetry, from Amy Sara Carroll's SECESSION

Here are some sample pages from Amy Sara Carroll's remarkable Secession volume with Hyperbole Books, an imprint of San Diego State University Press.

AMY SARA CARROLL's Unique Ménage à Trois of Poetry, Art, and Critical Theory, SECESSION, Now Available from Hyperbole Books, an Imprint of San Diego State University Press

Hyperbole Books, an eclectic imprint of San Diego State University Press, is proud to announce the publication of Secession by Amy Sara Carroll.


Here a sampling of our promotional material surrounding this unique publication along with advance word regarding Carroll's unique achievement.  High resolution facsimiles of the book appear above and below--click the images to enlarge. Buy the book now by hitting the amazon link above.

The first volume in Hyperbole Books’s Bi Sheng/Juan Pablos Digitovisuo Artifacts Series—a line of art/literature/critical theory books blurring semantic/semiotic hierarchies—Amy Sara Carroll’s Secession blasts onto the scene with a empowering, vibrant urgency. In its pages, lyric words and cleverly forged images conspire to tell a story of “secession,” a unique textual performance whose enigmatic and engaging revelations are literary, artistic, and personal.

Advance reviews... 

Amy Sara Carroll writes like an acrobat, with tongue-twisting, out of breath lines, that always land on their feet. Secession challenges us in the best ways possible to rethink sexuality, borders, colonization, femininity, and poetry itself. 

Angie Cruz | Assistant Professor of English, Texas A & M, College Station, & author of Soledad and Let It Rain Coffee

 Secession is “Something rogue. Something else you have to figure in before you can figure it out. Solo en sueños, en la poesía, en el juego…” These borrowed lines, from the opening page of Carroll’s brilliant book, frame a photograph of a framed graphic poem-print covered in part by the plastic wand of a pregnancy stick. These images are not juxtaposed, but rather pose questions of art and politics, the intimate and the expansive. The textured layers of Carroll’s composed words and pictures are pregnant with meaning. They beckon us to engage them in all their performative experimentation. This is a book of haptic allusion, illuminations, and
she-er wonder. Enjoy! 

Jennifer DeVere Brody | Professor of Drama and Performance Studies, Stanford University, & author of Punctuation: Art, Politics, and Play 

In the spirit of other queer artists who have had to invent hybrid forms such as graphic narrative and solo performance to say what hasn’t been said, Amy Sara Carroll renews poetry’s tradition of radical practice. Reminding us that poetry is a form of craft, she cuts into a linoleum block to make poems that you can literally see. As the words pile up against one another in both her poem prints and her blocks of lines on the page, she also makes poetry that you can feel. Carroll shows us that secession splits open not just countries but hearts; but, in her new world of the poem as image, unlikely combinations of words and phrases suggest new forms of affiliation. The interviews and critical essays included in this volume extend the conversation begun in the poems, further contributing to Secession’s vision of poetry as public practice. 

Ann Cvetkovich | Garwood Centennial Professor of English and Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Texas, Austin, & author of An Archive of Feelings: Trauma, Sexuality, and Lesbian Public Cultures

I want to say Secession is Blakean in that printmaking-meets-poetry sort of way. And then I want to say it is feminist in that “¡viva la vulva!” way. And then I want to say it is a contact zone in that Guamán Poma sort of way. Few books manage to bring together so much, to think with so many differences. So what I really mean is that Secession is an unusual and lovely book, one that is resonant and yet also singular, smart, and sexy.
 
Juliana Spahr | Associate Professor of English, Mills College, & author of This Connection of Everything with Lungs and Everybody’s Autonomy: Connective Reading and Collective Identity

Amy Sara Carroll is Assistant Professor of American Culture, Latina/o Studies, and English at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She received a Ph.D. in Literature from Duke University (2004), and an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from Cornell University (1995).

logistic/pricing:

$49.95 USA | $640 MEX | €38 EURO      ISBN 1879691965 

Bi Sheng/Juan Pablos Digitovisuo Artifacts Series, Volume I

HYPERBOLE BOOKS, AN IMPRINT OF SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS

For readers who dig any or all of the following:
·       poetry
·       art
·       cultural studies
·       art history
·       critical theory
·       gender studies
·       border literature

Permanent Work by Gabriel Trujillo Munoz

Permanent Work: Poems 1981-1992 by Gabriel Trujillo Munoz covers a variety of poetic genres with visual images that will illuminate and intrigue the mind.  Humberto Felix Berumen claims that Munoz writes with "measured tone of analytical reflection and the sobriety of a language whose fundamental intent is to seek answers to the questions that he puts forth."  Dare to immerse yourself into the poetry and questions of life a death posed by Munoz?  Grab a copy of Permanent Work at SDSU Press.

"in this corner..."

Ever enjoy a little bickering, bantering or even boxing with and a loved one? "In this corner...," a selection of short plays, humorously portrays the vexing side of romance as fights in a boxing ring.  Within each play, written by Rosina Conde, Ignacio Flores de la Lama, Juan Carlos Rea, and Hugo Salcedo, readers and audiences watch the drama of everyday marital life unfold in the middle of a boxing ring. The literary twists of each play reveal different insights about relationships of love and war.  Whether you are married, or have been once upon a time, or have just entered the ring of love, these plays will entertain you with a bit of dread and lots of laughter.

Take a hit from "in this corner..." available only at SDSU Press's Amazon store.